Method and apparatus for offshore transfer of fluid



P. J. BILY 3,461,924

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OFFSHORE TRANSFER OF FLUID Aug. 19, 196 9 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1963 INVENTOR PETER J. Bil-Y ATTORNEY P. J. BILY Aug. 19, 1969 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OFFSHORE TRANSFER OF FLUID Filed NOV. 12, 1963 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 NH Q A.

INVENTOR PETER J. aux

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INVEN'I'OR PETER J.

ATTORNEY P. J. BILY Aug. 19,1969

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OFFSHORE TRANSFER OF FLUI D Filed NOV, 12, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR PETER J. BILY ATTORNEY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OFFSHORE TRANSFER OF FLUID Filed Nov. 12, 1963 P. J. BILY Aug. 19,1969

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United States Patent 3,461,924 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OFFSHORE TRANSFER OF FLUID Peter J. Bily, Sunset Beach, Calif., assignor to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Nov. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 323,546 Int. Cl. B63b 21/50; F161 3/00 US. Cl. 141--388 17 Claims The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus for transferring fluid oflshore and more particularly to a method and apparatus for mooring a vessel, such as a tanker, offshore and for connecting the vessel in fluid communicating relation with a conduit that leads to a storage facility.

Because of the ever-increasing congestion of docks around major ports and for other reasons, it has become necessary to load and unload tankers at ofi'shore berths, perhaps a mile or so from shore. Accordingly, provision must be made at such an offshore berth for mooring a tanker at the berth and for establishing fluid communicating relation between the tanker and a conduit or conduits that lead to a storage tank, usually on the adjacent shore.

Apparatus employed for this purpose must remain in a submerged position when not connected to a tanker, in order to obviate the navigational hazards that would be caused by a surfaced apparatus and to prevent storm damage to the apparatus. The apparatus must also be easy to raise and to couple to a tanker and must be capable of accommodating normal movements of the tanker without breaking lines or otherwise causing damage.

Moreover, as disclosed in my prior copending application Ser. No. 259,847, filed Feb. 20, 1963, now Patent No. 3,236,267. Such an apparatus desirably employs a long metallic conduit that is rigid in short lengths but has a measure of flexibility in the lengths employed, instead of highly flexible hose which is made of rubber or like materials and is therefore relatively more subject to deterioration and damage than the metallic conduit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for mooring a vessel offshore and for connecting the vessel in fluid communicating relation with a conduit.

Another object is to provide an offshore fluid transferring apparatusthat is anchored at a predetermined location offshore and is movable between a fluid transferring position where it can be connected to. a vessel and a submerged position where it is not a navigational hazard.

Another object is to provide a fluid transferring apparatus which uses a conduit of such construction and material that it resists deterioration when used in the ocean, and other waters, for many years and which does not use a conduit of such material, such as rubber, that may deteriorate, break, and burst when used in such waters for comparable periods of time.

Another object is to provide a fluid transferring apparatus that uses a conduit, for conducting fluid to or from a moored vessel, which is sufliciently rigid to be selfsupporting between points of suspension along its length but-which is sufliciently flexible to accommodate certain movements of the vessel in the water.

Another object is to provide a fluid transferring apparatus that supports a long rigid-walled conduit, which flexes transversely in the lengths used but which is transversely rigid in shorter lengths, without overstressing or kinking the conduit.

Another object is to provide a fluid transferring apparatus, including a conduit of the type described in the preceding three paragraphs, that can be connected in fluid communicating relation with av floating vessel and ice yet accommodate limited movement of the vessel during fluid transferring operations.

Another object is to provide a fluid transferring apparatus which avoids abrupt application of stress on lines and other structure by gradually increasing resistance to movement of a vessel out of its berthing area at an olfshore location.

Another object is to provide a fluid transefrring apparatus that does not constitute a navigational hazard and is not subject to storm damage when not being used for fluid transferring operations.

Another object is to provide a fluid transferring apparatus that can be dependably and easily moved between a fluid transferring position and a submerged position.

Another object is to provide a fluid transferring apparatus that can be attached to a vessel, both physically and in fluid communication therewith, with little effort and in a minimum of time.

Another object is to provide a fluid transferring apparatus which minimizes adverse effects of marine growth on the apparatus.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for mooring a vessel at an offshore berth for fluid transfer operations without positioning any of the apparatus directly under the vessel.

These objects, together with other objects and advantages, will become apparent upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan of a fluid transferring apparatus embodying the present invention and of an attendant launch, with the subject apparatus being shown in a submerged position adjacent to a berthing area for a vessel to be loaded or unloaded, and with skewing movement of the apparatus being indicated by dashed lines.

FIGS. 2A and 2B, with the sheets bearing these figures placed end-to-end and laid out horizontally, show a side elevation of the present apparatus in submerged position and of the launch.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are similar to FIGS. 2A and 2B but show the apparatus in its fluid transferring position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 44 in FIG. 1 and illustrates how the frame of the apparatus is mounted.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation as viewed from a position indicated by line 55 in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are operational views which illustrate the subject method of mooring a vessel in an offshore paratus 15 embodyingthe present invention in anchored to the sea bed 16 of the ocean 18 adjacent to a berthing area 20 which is the area within which it is desired to maintain vessel during a fluid transferring operation and which although not shown in its entirety, may be imagined as being generally rectangular in plan view. There is nothing on or in the water which actually marks out this berthing area but for illustrative purposes, one side of the area is partially indicated by a phantom line in FIG. 1.

The subject fluid transferring apparatus 15 includes transversely spaced main frame anchors 25 embedded in the sea bed 16 and firmly secured thereto by virtue of their weight. In order to more dependably fix the positions of the main anchors, auxiliary anchors 26' are secured to the main anchors and project rearward therefrom. All of these anchors are preferably made of concrete. A pair of spaced brackets 28 (FIGS. 4 and 5) are secured to each main anchor in upstanding relation therefrom. Pins 30 are journalled in the brackets with all of the pins in all four brackets being in axial alignment.

Arms 32. have upper ends 33 individually connected to these pins, inward of their respective brackets, and lower ends 34. Shafts 36 interconnect corresponding lower ends of the arms between each pair of brackets and bearings 38 are mounted on these shafts and have convex peripheral surfaces 39.

A rectangular support frame 45 (FIG. 1) of substantial rigidity includes a pair of longitudinal side members 46, transverse rear and intermediate members 48 and 49 that rigidly interconnect the side members in spaced parallel relation to each other, diagonal frame members 51 interconnecting the side members and the intermediate member, and a brace 52 rigidly interconnecting the diagonal members forward of the intermediate member. For a purpose to be described, a strut 53 extends between the diagonal members, forward of the brace and in parallel relation therewith, and is supported on the diagonal members by flexible chains 54 (FIG. 3A).

The side members 46 (FIG. 1) of the frame 45 have rear mounting end portions 60 individually fitted between pairs of the arms 32, and mooring lugs 61 are secured to these mounting end portions. The mounting end portions have annular concave sockets 62 (FIGS. 4 and complementarily receiving the bearings 38. The side members of the frame also have forward fendering end portions 64 (FIG 3A) provided with spherically convex end faces 65. Fenders 68 are individually mounted on the side members of the frame by plates 69 that project from the fenders on opposite sides of the side members, and by pins 70 which extend through the plates and their respective side members. The fenders have spherically concave sockets 72, complementarily fitted against the convex end faces 65, and opposite ship-engaging surfaces 74. The holes in the plates, through which the pins 70 extend, are larger than the pins so as to provide a loose fit thereby enabling the fenders to move up and down and side to side within limited amounts relative to the side members.

The support frame 45 also includes a main flotation tank 78 (FIG. 1) interconnecting the side members 46 in forwardly adjacent relation to the intermediate member 49. A buoyancy control tube 79 (FIG. 3A) extends under and is connected to one of the side members 46 of the support frame, has an upper end in fluid communication with the flotation tank and has an open lower end 80 relatively adjacent to the mounting end portion 60 of this side member. In addition, a buoyancy control hose 82 (FIG. 1) is connected to the flotation tank at the opposite end thereof from the buoyancy control tube. The subject apparatus employs a control buoy 85 floating at the surface of the water above the apparatus and providing a valve 86 that is connected to the buoyancy control hose.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the sup port frame 45 is mounted on the main anchors for elevational adjustable movement, about the shafts 36 as pivot axes, between a lower rest position on the sea bed 16 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) and an upper fluid transferring position inclined upward from the anchors toward the berthing area 20 (FIGS. 3A and 3B). The frame is also mounted on the anchors for limited swinging movement, lengthwise of the frame, about the pins as axes; this swinging movement is indicated by phantom lines in FIG. 4. Still further, the frame can skew laterally, or transversely of itself, within a limited range because of the bearings 38 and sockets 62; this skewing movement is indicated by center lines in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5.

The support frame 45 assists in mooring a vessel such as a tanker 90 in the berthing area 20 (FIG. 6) and, if additional weight is needed for this purpose, the rear member 48, which is tubular, is filled with concrete, as indicated at 91. The frame supports fluid transferring conduits 95, and for this purpose, the frame includes a slide block 96 (FIG. 1) rigidly secured to the intermediate member 49 and to the flotation tank 78 substantially centrally between the side members 46. This slide block has a pair of transversely spaced openings 97 therein.

Each conduit 95 is of considerable length and has sufficient flexibility to bend a limited amount (FIG. 3) but has suificient rigidity to be self-supporting between points or positions of suspension spaced lengthwise of the conduit. A suitable material for each conduit is high tensile, corrosion-resistant steel; a conduit of this material having a diameter of about ten to twelve inches and a length of about five hundred feet has the above described characteristics of limited flexibility and self-supporting rigidity, as required for the present invention. It is to be understood that other materials and dimensions, as long as they yield'a conduit having the described amounts of flexibility and rigidity, are encompassed by the present invention.

A conduit anchor 100 (FIG. 1) is embedded in the sea bed 16 in isosceles triangular relation with the frame anchors 25 and is spaced on the opposite side of the frame anchors from the berthing area 20. A tubular pipe coupling 102 is secured to the conduit anchor and is connected to a supply pipe 104 which extends away from the conduit anchor and is connected to a storage tank, not shown, but usually on an adjacent shore. The conduits 95 have mounting end portions 1116 connected to opposite ends of the pipe coupling and coupling end portions 108 individually slidably projected through the openings 97 in the slide block '96. A stop member 110 rigidly interconnects the conduits forward of the slide block and is in spaced relation to the slide block when the support frame 45 is in its rest position (FIGS. 1 and 2A). In order to impart partial buoyancy to the conduits 95, auxiliary flotation tanks 112 interconnect the conduits at longitudinally spaced positions therealong between the slide block and the conduit anchor 10.0. It is to be noted that the use of two conduits 95, in contrast to a single conduit, is for the purpose of obtaining the desired limited flexibility and self-supporting rigidity in a shorter length while still having the desired fluid-conducting capacity. For example, if a single diametrically larger conduit were employed, it would need to be about one third again as long as the dual conduits in order to provide the desired amounts of flexibility and rigidity.

The subject apparatus 15 also includes an articulated fluid conducting loading arm (FIGS. 1 and 8) having dual rigid lower sections 122 individually pivotally connected in fluid communicating relation to the coupling end portions 108 of the conduits 95, intermediate rigid sections 124 pivotally connected in fluid communicating relation to the lower sections, and upper rigid sections 126 pivotally connected in fluid communicating relation to the intermediate sections. The sections of the loading arm are interconnected by swivel joints 128 to facilitate movement of the arm from a folded position of rest on the strut 53 (FIGS. 1 and 3A) and fluid coupling position (FIG. 8) projected upward from the support frame 45.

The subject fluid transferring apparatus also includes frame mooring lines (FIG. 1) individually connected to the mooring lugs 61 on the side members 46 of the frame 45, weights 136 connected to the mooring lines 135, and buoy lines 137 interconnecting the weights and marker buoys 1 40 located on opposite sides of the frame. It is to be noted (FIGS. 2A and 3A) that the weights 136 anchor the marker buoys in their marking areas on opposite sides of the frame when the apparatus 15 is not connected to a vessel as 90.

The apparatus 15 of the present invention is useful for loading and unloading the tanker 90 (FIG. 6) which, for purposes of subsequent reference, has fore and aft portions and 146, respectively; opposite sides 147; and a deck 148. Mooring winches 150 are mounted on the deck, fore and aft of the tanker, and ships mooring lines 152 are connected to these winches. Furthermore, fore and aft support winches 155 are mounted on the deck of the tanker respectively forward and rearward of the fore and aft mooring winches, and ships support lines 157 are connected to the support winches. The tanker has a manifold 159 in communication with tanks, not shown, on the tanker, and a vertically adjustable support 160 is mounted on the tanker outward of the ships manifold.

In operation of the subject apparatus 15, the support frame 45 is initially in its rest position (FIGS. 2A and 2B) on the sea bed 16, and thus the conduits 95 lie on or close to the sea bed and over the support frame. In order to maintain the support frame and the conduits in this position, the control hose 82 is open to the atmos phere through the valve 86, and water floods the flotation tank 78 through the buoyancy control tube 79. The control and marker buoys 85 and 140 are the only parts of the apparatus on the surface of the water, and these indicate the general location of the apparatus. It is also believed evident that the loading arm 120 is in its folded position.

If it is desired to load or unload fluid into or from the tanker 90, a launch 170 (FIGS. 1 and 2A) motors out to the control buoy 85, connects a supply hose 171 (FIG. BA) from an air compressor 172 on the launch to the valve 86 on the buoy 85. Air is then forced into the flotation tank 78 by the air compressor thereby expelling water from the tank through the buoyancy control tube 79. The frame is thereby made buoyant, and it rises from its rest position to its fluid transferring position. As long as air is maintained in the flotation tank by the air compressor, the frame remains buoyant and stays in its fluid transferring position.

It is significant that as the support frame 45 pivots upward in the water, the coupling end portions 108 of the conduits 95 flex upward so that the conduits, between the anchor 100 and the block 96, define smooth curves (FIGS. 3A and 3B). The extent of upward pivoting of the support frame is limited by the amount of air forced into the flotation tank 78 so as to prevent overbending of the conduits, that is bending of the conduits beyond their elastic limit, which, if allowed to occur, would kink, crease or otherwise deform the conduits. Kinking is also avoided by engagement of the stop member 110 with the slide block 96 which engagement precludes the weight of the elevated portions of the conduits from sliding the conduits rearward through the blocks and causes collapse of the elevated portions of the conduits. As will be understood, therefore, the conduits are sufliciently flexible to bend in the gentle curvature illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B but are sufficiently rigid to be self-supporting between the block 96 and the anchor 100 in the fluid transferring position of the frame.

The tanker 90 (FIG. 6)' is next maneuvered into a broadside relation with the fenders 68, which are now at the surface of the water, but stands off about one hundred yards from the fenders; this position is not illustrated but can be visualized in FIG. 6. The crew on the launch 170 (FIG. 1) then takes each ships mooring line 152 (FIG. 6) and connects it to the buoy line 137 on respective Sides of the support frame 45. By operating the mooring winches 150, the tanker is pulled broadside against the fenders 68 (FIG. 7), the fenders adjusting themselves on the side members 46 of the frame so that their shipengaging surfaces 74 are flat against the side of the tanker.

As the next step (FIG. 7), the crew on the launch 170 takes each of the ships support lines 157 and connects it to the side member 46 of the support frame 45 on its respective side of the frame adjacent to the fenders 68, and slack is thereafter removed from these support lines by the ships support winches 155.

i The valve 86 (FIG. 8) on the control buoy 85 is then opened to allow air in the flotation tank 78 to exhaust to the atmosphere and thereby allow water to rush into the tank through the buoyancy control tube 79. Since the open end 80 of the buoyancy control tube is below the flotation tank and is thus subjected to greater pressure than exists inside the tank, water will be forced upwardly in the control tube and into the tank. The buoyancy of the support frame is therefore reduced so that, were it not for suspension of the support frame 45 by the ships support lines 157, the support frame and conduits 95 would return to their rest position on the sea bed 16. However,

6, since the support frame and conduits are suspended from the tanker by the support lines, the support frame and conduits can rise and fall with the tanker while the fenders 68 remain in a substantially fixed position against the side of the tanker.

By use of ships tackle 180 (FIG. 8), the loading arm is elevated into its coupling position, and the upper sections 126 are rested on the adjustable support 160 and connected to the ships manifold 159. As shown in FIG. 8, the lower sections 122 of the loading arm are lifted off the strut 53 when the loading arm is connected to the manifold 159. With vessels of different sizes, it may be necessary to pivot the lower section down toward or even against the strut in order to make connection to the manifold. Thus it is necessary to have the strut in a low enough position to allow the arm 120 to be readily connected to various size vessels. In order that the low-slung strut will not have to bear the weight of the apparatus 15 in the rest position of the frame 45, the strut is suspended by the chains 54 which allow the frame to descend to the sea bed after the strut strikes the bed (FIG. 2A).

The tanker 90 is thus moored in the berthing area 20 and connected in fluid communicating relation with the supply pipe 104, and thus the storage tank, not shown, by the subject apparatus 15. The integrity of the fluid-tight connection between the ships manifold 159 and the loading arm 120 is maintained notwithstanding elevational movement; and limited fore and aft, pitching and lateral movements of the tanker with respect to the anchors 25 and 101 All of these movements are accommodated by the flexibility of the conduits 95. In addition, elevational movements of the tanker are accommodated by pivoting of the support frame 45 about the shafts 36, fore and aft movements are accommodated by the sockets 62 sliding on the bearings 38, and pitching movements are accommodated by combined pivoting and sliding actions.

Lateral movement of the tanker 90 is also accommodated and limited by swinging movement of the frame 45, lengthwise thereof, about the pins 30 (FIG. 4). As the tanker drifts laterally away from the main anchors 25, the frame swings out with the tanker, and as the tanker drifts toward the anchors, the frame swings in with the tanker. With reference to FIG. 4, the resistance exerted by the frame against outward movement of the tanker gradually increases as the arms move from Vertical positions toward outwardly angularly extended positions; this is true since the tanker exerts an outwardly directed force on the shafts 36 which lifts the arms into the outwardly angulated positions. However, as the arms move outward, progressively more vertical upward force is required to continue the outward movement of the arms and lifting of the rear portion of the support frame. When the arms reach the outward positions, shown in phantom lines in FIG. 4, the inwardly directed force imposed on the shafts 36, as a result of the weight of the frame, is equal to the outwardly directed force imposed on the shafts by the outwardly moving tanker. With these forces balanced, outward movement of the tanker stops. The same action occurs as the tanker moves inward toward the anchors causing the arms to pivot into inwardly angularly extended positions. Lateral movement of the tanker is thus gradually resisted so as to avoid abrupt imposition of stresses and thereby to preclude damage to the apparatus.

The tanker 90 (FIG. 7) is moored to the support frame 45 and thus to the main anchors 25 by the mooring lines 135, the weights 136, the buoy lines 137, and the mooring lines 152, all of which on each side of the support frame constitute a resiliently extensible mooring member 195. As shown in FIG. 8, the mooring members are not in straight lines between the mooring winches 150 and the mooring lugs 61 when the tanker is in its desired berthing area 20; rather, the frames mooring lines are in obtuse angular relation with the corresponding ships mooring lines 152 and the buoy lines. The weights maintain the lines under constant tension even though the tanker drifts toward and away from the anchors 25, and this tension is maintained without subjecting the lines to abrupt stress when the tanker moves away from the anchors.

Still further, as best illustrated in FIG. 8, the weighted mooring members 195 maintain the fenders 68 against the side of the tanker 90 as the latter moves up and down in the water and toward and away from the anchors 25. As the tanker moves from an upper position in the water to a lower position, as for example as the tanker is being loaded, the distance between each mooring winch 150 and the corresponding mooring lug 61 decreases. Thus, if the mooring members were of fixed lengths and not resiliently extensible, they would lose their tension in the lower position and would not constantly force the fenders 68 against the side of the tanker. Conversely, if fixed-length, nonextensible mooring members were employed, upward movement of the tanker in the water would overstress and perhaps break the mOOriug members, assuming that the mooring members were under tension in the lower position of the tanker.

After the fluid transferring operation is completed, the loading arm 120 is disconnected from the manifold 159 and is lowered by the ships tackle 180 into folded condition on the strut 53. The ships mooring lines 152 and support lines 157 are disconnected from the lines 137 and the frame 45 whereupon the frame and the conduits 95 sink to the sea bed 16 into their rest positions, it being remembered that the flotation tank 78 is at this time full of Water. Thereupon, the tanker 90 leaves the berthing area 20 under its own power.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that a method and apparatus for mooring a vessel offshore and for connecting the vessel in fluid communicating relation with a conduit has been provided. The apparatus enables the use of a durable conduit, which resists deterioration even though remaining in the water for many years, and handles this conduit so that it can flex within desirable limits without being overstressed. Furthermore, the apparatus moors the vessel in a desired berthing area, accommodates movements of the vessel while maintaining the fluid coupling between the vessel and the conduit, and avoids abrupt and excessive imposition of stresses as a result of ship movements. In addition, none of the apparatus extends directly under the vessel thereby avoiding what might otherwise be objected to by some sea captains.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for mooring a vessel in the water while transferring fluid to or from the vessel comprising anchor means submerged in the water, a support frame having opposite mounting and fendering end portions, means supporting the mounting end portion of the frame on said anchor means for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis and for swinging movement of the frame lengthwise of the frame, a conduit borne by the frame for elevational movement therewith, supporting lines individually connected to said frame and projecting laterally thereof but longitudinally of said vessel, means for connecting said supporting lines fore and aft of said vessel for suspending said fendering end portion of the frame from and in abutment with the vessel, and a pair of mooring means individually connected adjacent to said axis and adapted for connection fore and aft of said vessel for holding said fendering end portion against the vessel and for limiting movement of the vessel away from said anchoring means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said mooring means includes a line connected adjacent to said axis and connected to the vessel and a weight connected to each line intermediate the vessel and anchor means.

3. In combination with a vessel floating in a body of water; an apparatus for establishing fluid communication with the vessel comprising a pair of anchors in spaced relation to each other on the bottom of the body of water and in transversely spaced relation to said vessel, a rectangular substantially rigid support frame having oppositely extending mounting and fendering end portions, means connecting said mounting end portions individually to said anchors for elevational movement of said frame with respect to said anchors between a rest position lying on said bottom and fendering position inclined from said anchor with said fendering end portions abutting said vessel, an elongated flexible conduit having a mounting end portion supported on said bottom and a coupling end portion borne by said frame for elevational movement therewith, means interconnecting the coupling end portion of the conduit and the vessel in fluid communicating relation, elongated resiliently extensible mooring members having ends individually connected to said frame adjacent to said mounting end portions and opposite ends connected fore and aft on said vessel, and support lines having ends individually connected to said frame adjacent to said fendering end portions and opposite ends connected fore and aft on said vessel, said support lines being tensioned between said vessel and said frame and suspending said frame in its fendering position.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the vessel ends of said mooring members and said support lines are lo cated above the ends of said members and lines that are connected to said frame.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said mooring members include lines individually connected to said mounting end portions of the frame, lines individually connected fore and aft on the vessel, and weights interconnecting their respective lines, the lines of each mooring member being in obtuse angular relation to each other, movement of said ship toward and away from said anchors respectively decreasing and increasing the angle between the lines of each mooring member.

6. In an apparatus for establishing fluid communication with a vessel floating in a predetermined berthing area in a body of water including spaced first and second anchoring means submerged in the Water and fixed in respect to the bed of said body of water, said second anchoring means being located between said first anchoring means and said berthing area, an elongated conduit having opposite mounting and coupling end portions and being sufiiciently flexible to bend but being sufliciently rigid to be self-supporting when suspended in bent condition, means connecting said mounting end portion to said first anchoring means for elevational movement of said coupling end portion with respect to said mounting end portion; a submersibly buoyant support having opposite mounting and abutting end portions, means connecting the mounting end portion of said support to said second anchoring means for pivotal movement about a generally horizontal axis, said support projecting under said conduit in supporting and sliding engagement therewith between said end portions of the conduit, said abutting end portions projecting toward said berthing area and adapted to engage a vessel therein, and means for establishing fluid communication between said coupling end portion and said vessel.

7. An apparatus for mooring a vessel in the water while transferring fluid to or from the vessel comprising anchor means submerged in the water, a support frame having opposite mounting and fendering end portions, means supporting the mounting end portion of the frame on said anchor means for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis and for swinging movement of the frame lengthwise thereof, an elongated flexible conduit having a coupling end portion borne by the frame for elevational movement therewith and an opposite end portion projecting lengthwise of and away from said frame and being supported on the bottom of the body of water in which the vessel is floating, supporting lines individually connected to said frame and projecting laterally thereof but longitudinally of said vessel, means for connecting said supporting lines fore and aft of said vessel for supporting said fendering end portion of the frame in abutment with the vessel, and elongated mooring members individually connected to said mounting end portion of the frame and adapted for connection fore and aft of said vessel for holding said fendering end portion against the vessel and for limiting movement of the vessel away from said anchoring means, said frame supporting means including a bracket rigid with and upstanding from said anchor means and an arm having an upper end pivoted to the bracket and a lower end pivoted to the mounting end portion of the frame whereby elevational movement of the frame takes place about the pivot axis of the lower end of the arm and said lengthwise swinging of the frame takes place about the pivot axis of the upper end of the arm. I

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including a bearing mounted on said arm, said bearing having an annular convex surface, and wherein the mounting end portion of said frame has an annular concave socket complementarily receiving said bearing thereby enabling limited transverse skewing of the frame.

9. In combination with a vessel floating in a body of water; an apparatus for establishing fluid communication with the vessel comprising a pair of anchors in spaced relation to each other on the bottom of the body of water and in transversely spaced relation to said vessel, a rectangular substantially rigid support frame having oppositely extended mounting and fendering end portions, means connecting said mounting end portions individually to said anchors for elevational movement of said frame with respect to said anchors between a rest position lying on said bottom and a fendering position inclined from said anchor with said fendering end portions abutting said vessel, an elongated flexible conduit having a mounting end portion supported on said bottom and a coupling end portion borne by said frame for elevational movement therewith, means interconnecting the coupling end portion of the conduit and the vessel in fluid communicating relation, elongated resiliently extensible mooring members having ends individually connected to said frame adjacent to said mounting end portions and opposite ends connected fore and aft on said vessel, and support lines having ends individually connected to said frame adjacent to said fendering end portions and opposite ends connected fore and aft on said vessel, said support lines being tensioned between said vessel and said frame and suspending said frame in its fendering position, said frame including a slide block, and said conduit being slidably extended through said block.

10. In combination with a vessel floating in a body of water; an apparatus for establishing fluid communication with the vessel comprising a pair of anchors in spaced relation to each other on the bottom of the body of water and in transversely spaced relation to said vessel, a rectangular substantially rigid support frame having oppositely extended mounting and fendering end portions, means connecting said mounting end portions individually to said anchors for elevational movement of said frame with respect to said anchors between a rest position lying on said bottom and a fendering position inclined from said anchor with said fendering end portions abutting said vessel, an elongated flexible conduit having a mounting end portion supported on said bottom and a coupling end portion borne by said frame for elevational movement therewith, means interconnecting the coupling end portion of the conduit and the vessel in fluid communicating relation, elongated resiliently extensible mooring members having ends individually connected to said frame adjacent to said mounting end portions and opposite ends connected fore and aft on said vessel, and support lines having ends individually connected to said frame adjacent to said fendering end portions and opposite ends connected fore and aft on said vessel, said support lines being tensioned between said vessel and said frame and suspending said frame in its fendering position, said conduit having sufficient flexibility to bend upward in a smooth curvature from its mounting end portion to its coupling end portion when said frame is raised into its fendering position but having suflicient rigidity to be self-supporting in said fendering position, said frame including a slide block, said conduit being slidably received through said block for slidable movement relative to said frame during elevational movement of the latter, and a stop secured to said conduit on the opposite side of said block from said mounting end portion of the conduit to limit sliding movement of the conduit with respect to the frame during raising of the latter.

11. In an apparatus for establishing fluid communication with a vessel floating in a predetermined berthing area in a body of water, anchor means submerged in the water and fixed with respect to the bed of said body of water in spaced relation to said berthing area; a support frame having opposite mounting and fendering end portions; means connecting said mounting end portion to said anchor means for elevational movement of said fendering end portion in the water with respect to said anchor means between a rest position adjacent to said bed and a fendering position inclined upward from said anchor means toward said berthing area and adapted to abut a vessel in the berthing area; an elongated flexible conduit having an end portion supported on said bed on the opposite side of said frame from said berthing area and an opposite end borne by said frame for elevational movement therewith; elongated resiliently extensible mooring means connected to said frame and adapted for connection to said vessel, said support frame including longitudinal side members rigidly interconnected in a common plane, a supporting member, and means mounting said supporting member between said side members for adjustable movement toward and away from the plane of said side members into and out of a position suspended below said side members; and a loading arm pivotally connected to said opposite end of the conduit and movable between a rest position on said supporting member and an upwardly projected position adapted for fluid connection to said vessel.

12. A method of enabling a floating vessel to be connected to a conduit when the conduit is lifted by a frame that is anchored for elevational movement in the water comprising the steps of increasing the buoyancy of the frame so as to support the frame in elevated position in the water and to support the conduit on the frame, moving the vessel into contact with the frame so that the frame extends outward from the vessel, connecting the frame to the vessel, decreasing the buoyancy of the frame so that the frame is supported by the vessel and so that the frame and conduit rise and fall with the vessel, and maintaining the frame in connection wtih the vessel during the decreased buoyancy state of said frame during such rise and fall.

13. In an apparatus for establishing fluid communication with a vessel floating in a predetermined berthing area in a body of water, anchoring means submerged in the water and fixed with respect to the bed of the body of water in spaced relation to said berthing area, a rigid support having a mounting end portion pivoted to the anchoring means and an opposite end portion projecting from said anchoring means toward said berthing area and being elevationally movable in the water upon pivoting of said mounting end portion, a conduit borne by said support, means for connecting said conduit in fluid communicating relation with the vessel, means for drawing said vessel into contact with said opposite end of said support, and means attached to the support, and independent of said connecting means and said drawing means for suspending said opposite end of said support from said vessel, said suspending means cooperating with said drawing means whereby the support is maintained continuonsly in a substantial engagement with the vessel and moves elevationally with the vessel in the water.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further including buoyancy tank means mounted on said support intermediate said mounting and opposite end portions, means for directing air into said buoyancy tank means thereby rendering said support buoyant and elfecting pivoting of the same to an upper, fluid transferring position, and valve means operatively connected to said buoyancy tank means for exhausting the same, thereby allowing water to enter said tank means and thereby suspend said support on said vessel.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said support frame further includes longitudinal side members rigidly interconnected in a common plane, a supporting memher, and means mounting said supporting member between said side members for adjustable movement toward and away from the plane of said side members into and out of a position suspended below said side members; and a loading arm pivotally connected to said opposite end of the conduit and movable between a rest position on said supporting member and an upwardly projected position adapted for fluid connection to said vessel.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 further including a slide block rigidly mounted on said support, said =slide block being formed with an opening for slidably receiving said conduit.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 further including weight means associated with said drawing means, said weight means maintaining said drawing means in tension thereby gradually resisting movement of said vessel away from said support and avoiding abrupt imposition of stress on said drawing means.

References Cited UNITED HAROLD w. WEAKLEY, Primary Examiner Us. C1.X.R. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR MOORING A VESSEL IN THE WATER WHILE TRANSFERRING FLUID TO OR FROM THE VESSEL COMPRISING ANCHOR MEANS SUBMERGED IN THE WATER, A SUPPORT FRAME HAVING OPPOSITE MOUNTING AND FENDERING END PORTIONS, MEANS SUPPORTING THE MOUNTING END PORTION OF THE FRAME ON SAID ANCHOR MEANS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS AND FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE FRAME LENGTHWISE OF THE FRAME, A CONDUIT BORNE BY THE FRAME FOR ELEVATIONAL MOVEMENT THEREWITH, SUPPORTING LINES INDIVIDUALLY CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME AND PROJECTING LATERALLY THEREOF BUT LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID VESSEL, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SUPPORTING LINES FORE AND AFT OF SAID VESSEL FOR SUSPENDING SAID FENDERING END PORTION OF THE FRAME FROM AND IN ABUTMENT WITH THE VESSEL, AND A PAIR OF MOORING MEANS INDIVIDUALLY CONNECTED ADJACENT TO SAID AXIS AND ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION FORE AND AFT OF SAID VESSEL FOR HOLDING SAID FENDING END PORTION AGAINST THE VESSEL AND FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE VESSEL AWAY FROM SAID ANCHORING MEANS. 